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Earlier this week came widespreadreports that Microsoft would be retiring its widely used Messenger service on March 15th, forcing all users (apart from those in China) to switch to using Skype for instant messaging.

This information came from an e-mail that Microsoft has started sending to Messenger users (though not yet all of them; I've still not received it) informing them of the need to switch from the current Messenger client to the new Skype client in order to keep chatting with their friends.

This presented an immediate problem. What about all the people—and there are many of them—not using the regular, official, Messenger client for Windows? For example, Windows Phone integrates Messenger chat into its messaging hub, but it can't communicate with the Skype network at all. As much as I'd like to see Microsoft roll out an update for both Windows Phone 7 and 8 to add Skype support to the messaging hub in the next two months, it's highly unlikely.

Similarly, the Xbox has two integration points with Messenger. With the ChatPad accessory, Xbox users can send instant messages to Messenger users; with Kinect, they can also video chat.

There's also numerous third-party clients. Messenger offers two protocols that third parties integrate with. Messenger has its own proprietary protocol named MSP and in December 2011 Microsoft added support for the open XMPP messaging protocol. Third-party clients such as Pidgin, Adium, Digsby, and Trillian use one or the other of these protocols to allow chat with Messenger users.

These clients all connect to the Messenger service. If Microsoft were truly to retire the Messenger service on March 15th, all these clients would instantly cease working.

We asked Microsoft about its plans and what would happen to these various clients. The company tells us that contrary to the previous reports, the Messenger service isn't being retired on March 15th. That date does represent the start of the transition away from Messenger, but the service is set to operate for some time yet.

On March 15th, the Windows Messenger client will be blacklisted and unable to connect to the network, informing users that they must install the Skype client instead. The Skype client will continue to connect to the Messenger network (as it does presently) and will allow communication with Messenger users.

We're not sure at present if the Metro client bundled with Windows 8 will be affected, but the desktop client certainly will be. If the Metro client is affected then it will make for a very poor user experience; an app bundled with Windows 8 and prominently positioned on the default Start screen will be rendered useless and inoperable until upgraded or replaced.

Other clients, however, should be unaffected and will continue to connect just fine. The one exception is Kinect-based video chat on the Xbox; Microsoft says that too will cease working when the desktop client is retired. This includes both official clients, such as the one built in to Windows Phone, and third-party software. Users of these clients will be able to chat seamlessly with Windows users using the Skype client.

In October 2013, Microsoft will turn off its XMPP support. Third-party clients depending on this protocol will stop working at this time.

The network itself will continue running until March 2014. At this point, MSP support will be turned off, and it's likely that the current Windows Phone and Xbox clients will at this point stop working. However, it's far enough in the future that Microsoft has time to develop and deploy new clients for phone and console users.

Behind the scenes, Microsoft has been integrating much of the infrastructure and using Messenger's servers and systems for Skype's instant messaging features.

For users of third-party clients, this is somewhat good news. If the service had truly been turned off come March 15th, these clients would stop working in just over two months. Users of these clients now have a little more breathing room before they'll have to switch to an official client.

The news is less good for users of the official client. For instant messaging functionality, the Skype client is not the best thing going. It lacks any good equivalent to the tabbed chat windows that Messenger (and virtually every other instant messaging client) sports, and its support for media sharing is inferior to Messenger's.

In related news, the Skype client was updated to version 6.1 on Thursday, with the big feature being integration into Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2013 to enable calls to be made directly from within Microsoft's groupware client.

Microsoft really needs to merge the WLM messaging system to Skype, Skype's messaging is really terrible, never liked it. WLM had a great messaging platform even though it didn't do voice right. However, the reverse is true for Skype.

What I would really like is some way to get the Skype text chat out of Skype and into a third party client like Pidgin or similar (without running Skype in the background). I wouldn't mind keeping Skype itself around if someone wants a call, but jeeze, I hate that program.

What I would really like is some way to get the Skype text chat out of Skype and into a third party client like Pidgin or similar (without running Skype in the background). I wouldn't mind keeping Skype itself around if someone wants a call, but jeeze, I hate that program.

Trillian accomplished this a few versions ago with SkypeKit, I'm a little surprised Pidgin hasn't yet.

What I would really like is some way to get the Skype text chat out of Skype and into a third party client like Pidgin or similar (without running Skype in the background). I wouldn't mind keeping Skype itself around if someone wants a call, but jeeze, I hate that program.

Trillian accomplished this a few versions ago with SkypeKit, I'm a little surprised Pidgin hasn't yet.

Trillian accomplished this a few versions ago with SkypeKit, I'm a little surprised Pidgin hasn't yet.

I expect in the coming weeks/months this will start gaining traction. I like Pidgin and would love for it to rope in Skype support. It would be nice of the Steam components were a little more reliable too.

My understanding of Skype is that its highly unlikely legitimate alternatives for the video component will emerge any time soon though due to the proprietary nature of the video format combined with a lot of obfuscation in the transport layer.

This kind of sucks, as I really can't stomach the Skype user interface and sluggish performance of the application in general. Lots of people use Skype however and its for many become a 'default' of sorts for video/voice communication. I remember when MSN alternatives started becoming available (Pidgin, Trillian, et al) - it was awesome because the Microsoft client was so goddamn hideous. I really hope we see some similar trends with respect to Skype connectivity soon, though those are gonna be predicated on that Skype protocol being busted open.

On the subject, are there any decent alternative video/voice applications available? I've caught myself using Gmail's built in voice and video chat from time to time and I really like it, but I'm curious as to what else might be available.

I expect in the coming weeks/months this will start gaining traction. I like Pidgin and would love for it to rope in Skype support. It would be nice of the Steam components were a little more reliable too.

My understanding of Skype is that its highly unlikely legitimate alternatives for the video component will emerge any time soon though due to the proprietary nature of the video format combined with a lot of obfuscation in the transport layer.

This kind of sucks, as I really can't stomach the Skype user interface and sluggish performance of the application in general. Lots of people use Skype however and its for many become a 'default' of sorts for video/voice communication. I remember when MSN alternatives started becoming available (Pidgin, Trillian, et al) - it was awesome because the Microsoft client was so goddamn hideous. I really hope we see some similar trends with respect to Skype connectivity soon, though those are gonna be predicated on that Skype protocol being busted open.

On the subject, are there any decent alternative video/voice applications available? I've caught myself using Gmail's built in voice and video chat from time to time and I really like it, but I'm curious as to what else might be available.

I'm one of these cranks who still prefers Windows Classic (with no text smoothing) as my OS theme, and Skype is actually capable of recognising it, although it's still terrible about window resizing. The default options are almost unbelievably terrible. You have to dig a bit to figure out how to make it less awful.

What I would really like is some way to get the Skype text chat out of Skype and into a third party client like Pidgin or similar (without running Skype in the background). I wouldn't mind keeping Skype itself around if someone wants a call, but jeeze, I hate that program.

Trillian accomplished this a few versions ago with SkypeKit, I'm a little surprised Pidgin hasn't yet.

Actually, it looks like the plugin author has mostly abandoned SkypeKit and is hoping to hook into one of the reverse engineered Skype libraries out there when they are robust enough while maintaining the plugin's reliance on full blown Skype in the mean time:

The migration feature to get your Messenger and Skype accounts merged is really terrible.

Several not so tech-savvy people I know ended up with a third account, can still not see their Messenger contacts in Skype, or are confused as to which password and user name to use for login.

I also had some problems - With the Skype client for Android, I have to tap a link at the login screen in order to log in with my MSN messenger address, otherwise I can't see any messenger contacts. This login page does not allow me to save the user name or password.

Microsoft can go fuck themselves for this. Nothing like shutting off a service millions of people use for no reason. No third party client support = dead IM network. Already gritting my teeth and using google talk for talking to family.

Microsoft can go fuck themselves for this. Nothing like shutting off a service millions of people use for no reason. No third party client support = dead IM network. Already gritting my teeth and using google talk for talking to family.

Trillian supports Skype nicely. I'm not thrilled either, but I don't see this as a serious disaster. Just need some updates to the Skype client to permit some of the missing functionality. It would be silly for MS to carry both forward separate from each other..

Trillian supports Skype nicely. I'm not thrilled either, but I don't see this as a serious disaster. Just need some updates to the Skype client to permit some of the missing functionality. It would be silly for MS to carry both forward separate from each other..

Yeah it would be dumb to have two but MSN >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Skype. I use pidgin and I'm not switching clients just for one of my many protocols. How does trillian handle the skype network requirement of skype running?

Trillian supports Skype nicely. I'm not thrilled either, but I don't see this as a serious disaster. Just need some updates to the Skype client to permit some of the missing functionality. It would be silly for MS to carry both forward separate from each other..

Yeah it would be dumb to have two but MSN >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Skype. I use pidgin and I'm not switching clients just for one of my many protocols. How does trillian handle the skype network requirement of skype running?

I didn't even have Skype installed on my work machine I think when I first configured it on Trillian. Its there now, but for other reasons. On Win8 I have the built in Metro version of Skype, but no idea if Trillian uses it or not. Its a good question, although its not a deal breaker to me to just have the client installed. Its been a long time since I cared about a few MB of drive space...

Ugh, great. Skype is a royal pain in the ass if you manage multiple web presences from one computer. I use Trillian. At any one time I have 3 out of five different AIM/MSN/Yahoo (each) connections on. However, because Skypekit (used by things like Trillian to add Skype support) only supports 1 account per computer, and I juggle multiple Skype accounts depending on the time of day.

I keep real life professional contacts separate from my private online IM accounts separate from my public online IM accounts and I like it that way.

The migration feature to get your Messenger and Skype accounts merged is really terrible.

Several not so tech-savvy people I know ended up with a third account, can still not see their Messenger contacts in Skype, or are confused as to which password and user name to use for login.

It also fails (at least when I did it a month or 2 ago) to import categories, and doesn't resolve the names of offline contacts so when you first switch you end up with a flat list of email addresses and are left with the task of trying to work out who people are and how you know them. - "'joyblin14631@gmai...' is that my mum, someone from the office, a media contact, or an old freelancing job? Maybe I need to delete half these people."

On the plus side Skype doesn't seem to support nudges, fonts, and custom smileys*, so I won't have to put up with that annoying habit of otherwise good friends anymore!

*Yes I know you can disable these but it's per machine, not global for your account, so you have to remember to manually adjust the settings each time you go to a new system.

It also fails (at least when I did it a month or 2 ago) to import categories, and doesn't resolve the names of offline contacts so when you first switch you end up with a flat list of email addresses and are left with the task of trying to work out who people are and how you know them. - "'joyblin14631@gmai...' is that my mum, someone from the office, a media contact, or an old freelancing job? Maybe I need to delete half these people."

On the plus side Skype doesn't seem to support nudges, fonts, and custom smileys*, so I won't have to put up with that annoying habit of otherwise good friends anymore!

*Yes I know you can disable these but it's per machine, not global for your account, so you have to remember to manually adjust the settings each time you go to a new system.

Well whatever client you use doesn't have to display smilies, you can disable em on pidgin.

If Skype was not such a weird application in windows I would switch in a heartbeat. On mac on the other hand it works nicely. I just hope they keep other client's connection indefinitively, I would hate to stop using non skype clients there... last time I used Skype on linux it felt like an afterthought clone of the windows client, and since MS bought it I don't think it is supported anymore.

Well whatever client you use doesn't have to display smilies, you can disable em on pidgin.

Smilies are fine, in fact about 33% of all my messages consist solely of eye-rolls and frowny-faces.

It's Live Messenger's ability to assign custom strings to send animated dancing penguins, kawaii images, and forced-memes that chaps my ass. Even when you remember to turn them off, that just means you end up receiving messages like "cutedance kisskisskiss iamdissapoint" which is only marginally less annoying.

If the Skype client continues to not support such nonsense people will be forced to stop doing it, and the world will be a better place.

Smilies are fine, in fact about 33% of all my messages consist solely of eye-rolls and frowny-faces.

It's Live Messenger's ability to assign custom strings to send animated dancing penguins, kawaii images, and forced-memes that chaps my ass. Even when you remember to turn them off, that just means you end up receiving messages like "cutedance kisskisskiss iamdissapoint" which is only marginally less annoying.

If the Skype client continues to not support such nonsense people will be forced to stop doing it, and the world will be a better place.

Well it wouldn't be a problem if they didn't assume that the client can always show it...

Trillian supports Skype nicely. I'm not thrilled either, but I don't see this as a serious disaster. Just need some updates to the Skype client to permit some of the missing functionality. It would be silly for MS to carry both forward separate from each other..

Yeah it would be dumb to have two but MSN >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Skype. I use pidgin and I'm not switching clients just for one of my many protocols. How does trillian handle the skype network requirement of skype running?

I didn't even have Skype installed on my work machine I think when I first configured it on Trillian. Its there now, but for other reasons. On Win8 I have the built in Metro version of Skype, but no idea if Trillian uses it or not. Its a good question, although its not a deal breaker to me to just have the client installed. Its been a long time since I cared about a few MB of drive space...

Yep, I confirm that since Trillian 5.0 (or 5.1?), Skype does not need to be running or even installed anymore (at least on Windows, don't know on OSX). The messaging part if far superior on Trillian: copy on select, no weird prefix added when copying, auto zip when you drag several attachment, better image sharing support... Anyway, I am no Trillian commercial guy.

The tabbed msg support is nothing compared to being able to be logged in from several computers at the same time and having history and all chats synchronised between them. Skype is the only client that does that properly.

That feature alone is enough to suffer through the less than stellar UI. Plus it has a lot less fluff compared to MSN which can only be good unless you are a 12 y.o. girl.

Some of us actually already use Skype because it has stellar voice chat quality. The chat is decent enough for almost everyone. The fact that we can ditch the disgusting MSN client and get everyone in the same place now is just a big bonus.

Some of us actually already use Skype because it has stellar voice chat quality. The chat is decent enough for almost everyone. The fact that we can ditch the disgusting MSN client and get everyone in the same place now is just a big bonus.

Never had to use the MSN client... they could have just upgraded the MSN network to allow for quality peer to peer voice chat instead.

The way I see it, Microsoft and Apple are both in major transitions, perfect for some superior OS to come out of the woodwork (NOT based on Linux, Linux is just too bloated and has too many dependancies, and just too many choices, regardless of how crazy that sounds.)

I moved my family off WLM to Skype a while back. I was going to do it anyway since my brother travels a lot and it's easier for him to call my parents over Skype. Given that my parents only had about 5 people on their account, it was pretty easy.

However I'm still confused about my own migration, I followed the instructions and yet I'm unable to see any of the WLM accounts. My account claims it's linked but I'm not sure if something is broken or that all my contacts simply haven't bothered to move.

Mind you, I find myself using the Facebook component more and more. The only two annoyances with Skype and that is that it frequently loses the connection and fails to reconnect and that when the contact goes offline, you're unable to send the message. Which is annoying when you are halfway through a message to someone and they disappear. If you were doing this inside FB, then it would go as a message to them to collect when they log back on again later.

However I'm still confused about my own migration, I followed the instructions and yet I'm unable to see any of the WLM accounts. My account claims it's linked but I'm not sure if something is broken or that all my contacts simply haven't bothered to move.

You need to sign in with your Microsoft account, not your Skype account.

However I'm still confused about my own migration, I followed the instructions and yet I'm unable to see any of the WLM accounts. My account claims it's linked but I'm not sure if something is broken or that all my contacts simply haven't bothered to move.

You need to sign in with your Microsoft account, not your Skype account.

That's my main annoyance - I used a spam mail for my WLM account back in the day, and now I can't change it to anything else, without making a new account and getting all my contacts over.I hoped with the transition to Skype I'd be able to straighten it out, but no such luck. :-/

However I'm still confused about my own migration, I followed the instructions and yet I'm unable to see any of the WLM accounts. My account claims it's linked but I'm not sure if something is broken or that all my contacts simply haven't bothered to move.

You need to sign in with your Microsoft account, not your Skype account.

Oh? Is that it? God I feel really stupid now and thank you. I thought that once you'd done the migration that all your WLM contacts would be imported into your Skype account!

I got the email the other day. I opened the software manager in Mint 13 and there is a Skype package there. Fired it up and used a hotmail address to login. I was pleasantly surprised that it worked. I haven't actually used it yet, I never really use IM anyhow.

The tabbed msg support is nothing compared to being able to be logged in from several computers at the same time and having history and all chats synchronised between them. Skype is the only client that does that properly.

I personally don't care about the history, and I really couldn't care less about having chats synchronised across multiple computers - that's just extra junk I have to close when I change computers. I just want it to work as an IM client and do it well, thanks. This REQUIRES tabs. You might not find it important, but that's why it's nice to have the choice. I absolutely hate the Skype client - no other IM client I've ever used has crashed as much, looked as ugly, or been as lacking in features I wanted. It's literally the worst client I've used since.. forever I think. Hopefully Pidgin will sort out this before it becomes an issue, otherwise I'll have to use Trillian and have ads waste screen space. Better than Skype, but still annoying.

mrsilver wrote:

The only two annoyances with Skype and that is that it frequently loses the connection and fails to reconnect and that when the contact goes offline, you're unable to send the message.

"Only"? That first one sounds pretty major. The worst annoyance I've ever had with Pidgin was the last time MSN messed about with it's protocol and I had to Google how to fix it manually until Pidgin was updated a day or two later - at least that's not a persistent or "frequent" issue.

The way I see it, Microsoft and Apple are both in major transitions, perfect for some superior OS to come out of the woodwork (NOT based on Linux, Linux is just too bloated and has too many dependancies, and just too many choices, regardless of how crazy that sounds.)

INB4 downvotes.

If you know of a compelling reason why a new OS would be required or wanted, a feature set that would make a 'superior OS' and a team to program it, go ahead and become the next Bill Gates, son! Grab that brass ring!